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This chapter evaluates a number of positive claims surrounding the role of the Internet in campaigns and elections. It is observed that the Internet is becoming embedded within campaigns and elections. Capturing the influence of any campaign, or isolating the impact of any specific tool or aspect of a campaign, is at best a highly complex moving target. The hypermedia campaign must allow for and expect the ‘decomposition and recomposition of messages’. The chapter recognises that, to be successful, one must both produce and join the communication ecosystem. Investigating the campaigns of...

This chapter evaluates a number of positive claims surrounding the role of the Internet in campaigns and elections. It is observed that the Internet is becoming embedded within campaigns and elections. Capturing the influence of any campaign, or isolating the impact of any specific tool or aspect of a campaign, is at best a highly complex moving target. The hypermedia campaign must allow for and expect the ‘decomposition and recomposition of messages’. The chapter recognises that, to be successful, one must both produce and join the communication ecosystem. Investigating the campaigns of Howard Dean, Segolene Royal, and Barack Obama can help explain the evolution in adaptation to such campaigns. Engagement with election campaigns is being determined by the Internet. In general, the political campaign communication has been transformed, but only to an extent.